Dust-guard for railway journal-boxes.



No. 794,261. I PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

T. H. SYMINGTON.

DUST GUARD FOR RAILWAY JOURNAL BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 3, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E l v? inventor No. 794.261. PATENTED JULY 11, 1905-. T. H. SYMINGTON.

DUST GUARD FOR RAILWAY JOURNAL BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED 0e13, 1904.

' a SHEBTB-SHEET 2.

.HImHIIIIIIHIHWHU :rk Inventor QJ/Iltif dfiiL PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

T. H. SYMINGTON.

DUST GUARD FOR RAILWAY JOURNAL BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 3. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

inventor 7'. 427.1%: azadfazz flttomew NiTED STATES Patented July 11, 1905.

PATENT 'FFICE.

TO THE T. H. SYMINGTON COMPANY OF DELAWVARE.

DUST-GUARD FOR I RAILWAY JOURNAL-BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,261, dated July 11, 1905.

Application filed October 3, 1904. Serial No. 227,176. I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS HARRISON SYM- INGTON, a citizen of the United States of Amorica, and a resident of the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dust-Guards for Railway J ournal-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

-My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in dust-guards for railway journal-boxes.

The object of my invention is to simplify the construction, to cheapen it, and to increase its efficiency. I have finally succeeded in producing a dust-guard which consists of four piecesa journal-box, a dust-guard ring, and

two springs. The dust-guard ring encircles the axle and bears against a seat upon the back of the journal-box. The springs are self-contained and have a double function. They are coiled springs with two projecting ends. They are compressed and engage devices upon the box to hold themselves in place by the elasticity of their compression. They are also torsion springs, one end bearing against the box and the other against the rear of the dust-guard ring.

Referring to the drawings, wherein the same part is designated by the same reference-numeral wherever it occurs, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the rear portion of a journal-box provided with a dust-guard. Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of the structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of a journal-box, showing the dustguard in position. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detail views of one of the springs for holding the dust-guard in position. Fig. 7 shows a modification of mystructure shown in the other figures, in which the spring is secured to the box by having its rear free ends inserted in diverging holes or recesses in the box.

1 designates a journal-box of any desired construction. This box is provided at its rear with an opening 2, through which passes the axle of the car. Around the opening 2 l preferably form a raised surface 3, the face of which is preferably machined and forms the bearing-face against which the dust-guard is pressed. Located on each side of the box adjacent to the opening 2 are a pair of ears4: 5. The upper ears 4 ofeach pair are each provided with adownwardly-projecting lug 6, and the lower ears 5 are each provided with an upwardly-extending lug 7, the lugs of each pair extending toward each other and having the same axis.

8 designates a ring having an aperture 9, through which the axle passes. The ring fits closely upon the axle, but is not intended to turn with it. The fit should be as close as possible to prevent the admission of dust. The ring on its inner face 10 is preferably machined and is intended to bear against the seat 3 on the box. 11 designates a pair of recesses on the rear face of the ring, preferably diagrammatically opposite each other. These recesses are adapted to receive the ends of the springs which bear against the rear of the ring; but they might be dispensed with.

12 12 are a pair of springs, each of which is bent into a pair of coils 13, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, and these coils are connected together by a loop 14:, which is bent over into the form of a hook, as is best shown in Fig. 6. The free ends 15 of these springs extend outward, preferably as is shown in Fig. 5. The coils of the springs are adapted to be compressed and placed between each pair of lugs 6 7, and the coils are of such a size that they will pass over the lugs. The springs will by expansion engage and surround the lugs, as is best shown in Fig. 3. The free ends 15 of the coils are adapted to rest against shoulders 16, which project from the sides of the box between the ears 4 and 5. The looped ends of the springs are adapted to enter the slots 11 of the ring 8 and press the rings against the bearing-surface 3 of the box.

It will be noticed that the spring used in this box has a double function. It is coiled, and by compressing the coil in the direction of its axis it may be pressed between the lugs 6 and 7 and when released will encircle the lugs and will be held in place by its own expansion without other fastening. Therear end of the spring will bear against the shoulder 16 upon the side of the box and the forward end orloop of the spring against the rear side of the dust-ring and by the torsion of the spring hold the ring in place.

I believe it is broadly new with me to use a torsion-spring to hold a dust-guard ring in place and also broadly new to utilize the double function of the compression and torsion of a coiled spring to hold the spring, as well as the dust-guard ring, in place.

In Figs. 7, 8, and 9 I have shown a modification of the structure shown in the other figures, in which the lugs 6 and 7 and the shoulder 16 are omitted, and the diverging ends of the spring are inserted into two diverging holes or recesses cored into the side of the box. By this means the spring is still held in place by its compression and serves the same purpose as in the other form; but the body of the spring is not so well supported as in the form shown in Figs. 2 to 6. It will be seen by this construction that the necessity for a dust-guard well is obviated and all of the usual forms of dust-guard which require a well are dispensed with. The cost of construction is thus greatly V cheapened.

The modification shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 I have only claimed broadly in this application. I have, however, made specific claims for this modification in my companion application, Serial No. 217,119, filed July 18, 1904.

While I have described what I believe to be the preferred form of my invention, I desire to have it understood that many changes may be made in the form and construction of the parts without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent, is

1. A journal-box provided with an opening in its rear end through which the axle projects into the box, a dust-guard ring encircling the axle outside of the box, and a coiled spring, the spring being secured to the box by its own compression and exerting pressure upon the rear of the ring by torsion.

2. A journal-box provided with an opening in its rear end through which the axle projects into the box, a dust-guard ring encircling the axle outside of the box, and bearing against the rear of the box, a pair of coiled springs, one located on each side of the box, the springs being secured to the box by their own compression and exerting pressure upon the rear of the ring by torsion.

3. A journal-box provided with an opening in its rear end through which the axle projects into the box, a dust-guard ring encircling the axle outside of the box, and bearing against the rear of the box, and a coiled spring, having both ends projecting, the coil being secured to the box by being compressed, and exerting pressure upon the d ust-guard ring by torsion.

4. A journal-box provided with an opening in its rear end through Which the axle projects into the box, a dust-guard ring encir cling the axle outside of the box, and bearing against the rear of the box, and a pair of coiled springs having both of their ends projecting, the coil being secured to the box by being compressed, and exerting pressure upon the dust-guard ring by torsion.

5. A journal-box provided with an opening in its rear end through which the axle projects into the box, a dust-guard ring encircling the axle outside of the box, and bearing against the rear of the box, and a pair of coiled springs each spring having two coils and the ends of each spring projecting, the coils being secured to the box by being compressed and exerting pressure upon the clustguard ring by torsion, one of the projecting ends of each spring bearing upon the box and the other upon the ring.

6. A journal-box provided with an opening in its rear end through which the axle projects into the box, a dust-guard ring encircling the axle outside of the box, and bearing against the rear of the box, and a double coiled spring connected by a loop, the loop and ends of the spring projecting, the spring being secured to the box by being compressed and exerting pressure upon the dust-guard ring by torsion, the free ends of the spring bearing upon the box and the loop upon the dust-guard ring.

7. A journal-box provided with an opening in its rear end through which the axle projects into the box, a dust-guard ring encircling the axle outside of the box, and bearing against the rear of the box, and a pair of double coiled springs, the parts of each spring being connected by a loop, the loops and ends of the springs projecting, the springs being secured to the box by compression, and exerting pressure upon the dust-guard ring by torsion, the free ends of the springs bearing upon the box and the loop upon the dustguard ring.

8. A journal-box provided with an opening in its rear end through which the axle projects into the box, and provided upon its exterior with a lug, a dust-guard. ring encircling the axle outside of the box, and bearing against the rear of the box, and a coiled spring having both ends projecting, and adapted when compressed to encircle the lug and be held thereon by its own elasticity, and exerting pressure upon the dust-guard ring by torsion, one of its projecting ends bearing upon the box and the other upon the ring.

9. A journal-box provided with an opening in its rear end through which the axle projects into the box, and provided upon its exterior with a pair of oppositely-disposed lugs, a dust-guard ring encircling the axle outside of the box, and bearing against the rear of the box, and a coiled spring having both ends projecting, and adapted When compressed to be inserted between the lugs and when expanded to encircle them and to be held thereon by its own elasticity, and exerting pressure upon the dust-guard ring by torsion; one of its projecting ends bearing upon the box and the other upon the ring.

Signed by me at Baltimore, Maryland, this 5th day of August, 1904.

THOMAS HARRISON SYMINGTON.

Witnesses:

A. H. WESTON, ARMSTEAD M. WEBB. 

